Holy Ground
by Curlyyo
Summary: Every moment of Oliver's life was a speeding arrow to the moment when he would finally meet his destiny head on. Trapped by duty and suffocated by promises he was forced to make, he must protect his charge by all means necessary. Felicity Dhark is grieving a loss that has rocketed her towards a magical destiny. Without Oliver, she will lose everything she holds dear. OOC.
1. Prologue

The shadows were beginning to run long as Felicity's eyes scanned the undergrowth of the tangled forest. The staccato beating of heart was beginning grow so loud that she worried that the squirrels nestled in the pines could hear it. Suddenly, her gray eyes stumbled upon a figure on the ground that partially covered by the pine needles. Frantic hysteria bubbled in her stomach as she walked slowly forward.

"Oliver?"

"Oliver!"

She rushed toward him, skimming her hands over his unresponsive body and let out a stilted breath. There was blood. Too much of it. She gently rolled him onto his back and gasped in unfiltered horror. His abdomen had been punctured, leaving his green leather vest soaked with crimson wet. She ran her fingers over his matted brown hair quickly before pressing her palms together and applying pressure to his wound.

"Oliver, you're going to be ok. We're going to get you fixed up and you'll be fine. Just stay with me. Do you hear me? Your bossy ass will live to tell me what to do another day. Just open your eyes." Felicity moved her knees close to his body, huddling over his body to conceal their location. They were out in the open and _they_ were coming. They would sense that Oliver was…her mind went blank as she stared at Oliver's pale face with fear. _Oliver was going to be fine. He had to be._

"Oliver! Oliver you've got to wake up. I can't do this without you. Please." Her voice choked on the last word, betraying her growing panic.

 _Think,_ she told herself firmly. _You need to pack the wound and conceal your location_ , her mind was racing but her instincts were screaming at her that danger was coming. If they came now, Oliver was as good as dead. _So was Roy._ Her heart stuttered at the last errant thought and she cleared her mind for the task at hand.

 _Fog_. She thought the words so clearly that when she felt the gentle fingers of humidity caress her, she smiled.

"I have to move you, Oliver. I have to push us deeper into the forest." With no response she moved her bloodied hands from his abdomen and grabbed frantically at the leaves on the floor around her. Without her pack, these would have to do. She carefully placed them over the source of the blood, frowning when she realized that there was more than one. Working quickly, she undid her belt and slid it around his body. Hopefully her makeshift pack would staunch the flow of blood long enough for her to find real medical supplies. _Or a doctor_.

Grabbing his arms she tried to move him and whimpered with unease when she realized that she couldn't. Oliver was built like a linebacker- solid muscle and sinew, which meant that in his unconscious state, his weight had become a liability.

 _Trees, help us_ , she thought firmly. Around them, the branches of trees began extending and bowing slowly, providing invaluable cover as Felicity watched on gratefully.

"Thank you," she whispered.

The cover and the fog would have to do.

The air thickened imperceptibly as Felicity stoked Oliver's hair gently. Her body tensed and she beckoned the grass and bushes to hug their hiding spot more closely. Suddenly, Oliver's cerulean eyes flew open and he let out a choked gasp for air.

"Felicity…they're here."


	2. Gone, Gone, Gone

**Gone, Gone, Gone**

Felicity stared at the crack on her ceiling intently, studying the way it curved aggressively away from her window and towards her ceiling fan. The contrasting stark white of the paint made her head spin with anxiety. Each slender trail of the crack seemed to extend a little bit farther than the next- towards the single star still stuck to the ceiling. The scene caused her heart to ache wildly.

" _Mom! I'm seventeen years old! I don't need glow in the dark stars on my ceiling anymore. It's just…"_

" _Not cool? Man, when did my baby girl get so big? One minute you're watching Sailor Moon and the next you're…oh wait, you're still watching Sailor Moon."_

 _Felicity rolled her eyes and stretched her arms toward the ceiling once more. Each smooth piece of plastic came down from its previous home easily, as if affirming her decision. As her fingers reached out towards the last star, her mother's hands swatted her away._

" _Leave one. Just to remind you of all of the fun you had in this room."_

 _Smiling, Felicity hopped down from her bed and hugged her mother, "Mom, I don't need a cheap piece of plastic to remind me of how much fun we had together in this room. I won't forget. It all means too much to me."_

 _Her mother smiled and smoothed Felicity's hair before pressing a kiss to her forehead, "Sometimes it's the things that mean the most that we have the most trouble remembering clearly."_

It turned out that her mother was wrong. Each minute that passed by since her mother's disappearance had been filled with memories. The scent of her perfume still lingered in Felicity's quilt and the way her hands had nimbly braided her wily waves was engrained into her memory. And despite her countless efforts, she couldn't forget. Every moment that her mother's presence was missing from the house felt like an eternity. And then there was today.

'A fresh kind of Hell' her Bubbe had called it and Felicity couldn't agree more.

Sitting up slowly, Felicity stared at the freshly starched fabric of her dress and ignored the burn in her throat. She slipped her feet into the sensible flats her Bubbe had picked up from _Payless_ and stood. Walking over to her mirror she was shocked by what she saw. Her normally rosy cheeks were sunken and the bruise-like circles under her eyes told the undeniable story of her insomnia. Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, Felicity stared at herself once more. The person in the mirror seemed frail and unsure- almost a complete stranger. If it wasn't for the beauty mark on her chest, she would almost bet money on a denial that the person in the glass was her.

 _I can always tell when you're thinking about her_.

Felicity's cheeks tinged pink before her nostrils flared in annoyance, _Damnit Roy, get out of my head. We used to do this freaky telepathic thing when we were kids but we're not anymore so mind your own damn business._

 _Fine_.

The response was clipped and short but it revealed an ocean of hurt. She winced as she thought about how brave Roy had been these past few months. Guilt weighed heavy on her heart as she remembered how solemn he had grown, how gaunt. At thirteen his lean frame was almost skeletal and his eyes held a serious edge. It was her job to protect him and she had been failing miserably.

Closing her eyes, her mind whispered, _Roy? Roy, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it._

Nothing.

Breathing deeply, she glanced at herself in the mirror again. Her Bubbe's dress swallowed her, making her look more lost that she felt. Even the color seemed to stand out too harshly against the pale of her skin. She had fought with her Bubbe to wear the deep fuschia dress that she had found hanging in her mother's closet. The dress was made of a delicate lace and still smelled like her mother's lilac perfume. Everything about it had screamed strength, but Felicity's Bubbe had refused, demanding for tradition.

Felicity smiled wryly at her reflection in the mirror. Tradition didn't matter today. Today should have been about the joyous sound of her mother's laugh, how compassionate she was, and how she never left a place without making a friend. Instead today was about her father's business partners shutting the door on a painful and embarrassing chapter in their company's history. Her house would be filled with people who didn't truly know her mother or care for her, whispering empty sentiments of condolence and sympathy. Bile rose up her throat as she thought about the fake words of empathy that people would share with her, hinting at an understanding of her loss.

They could never understand what she had gone through. They would never know the pain of telling Roy that Donna was coming home, night after night. They would never comprehend the utter terror that she had developed of the phone. They would never understand the fury that she felt when her father left them each week to go on business trips- plying them with empty promises of a fresh start.

They would never know the pain of uncertainty. Or the much worse feeling of guilt that she had been harboring inside of her. Guilt that ate at her insides like acid because she was alive when her mother was not. Guilt because she wasn't strong to protect Roy from the demons that he now faced. Guilt because there was a horrible truth lurking in her mind that she was terrified to admit.

She sighed angrily and wiped at the tears beneath her eyes. Today was not the day to think about this. If Roy were to hear what she suspected, he would never forgive her. An aching void opened within her chest as she sobbed dryly. It seemed as if she had finally exhausted her tears.

Outside, rain began to splatter against the window rapidly. She watched it, idly, marveling at how accurately the weather had matched her mood. The only thing missing was fog. Her eyes widened as tendrils of fog began to weave their way through her backyard.

 _Did I do that?_ The thought flitted unbidden through her mind. _No_ , she thought hastily. It was impossible. No one could control the weather. Closing her eyes, she cautiously thought of thunder. _Thunder_ , she thought. Holding her breath, she waited, and was met with silence. Shaking her head slightly, she popped her earbuds back in turned up her music. Obviously her grief was beginning to make her a bit crazy. Turning up the volume of her music, she closed her eyes and laid back on her back- just missing the fierce roar of thunder that tore through the air.

Oliver Queen stared out of the window and fiddled with the Windsor knot on his tie. He shrugged on the jacket to his suit haphazardly- not caring about whether he looked as put together as he should. _I don't even want to go to this stupid thing_ , he thought bitterly as he ran a hand through his dusty brown hair. He heard his family rustling downstairs, each of them waiting patiently for his appearance so they could depart. He rebelliously took his time sliding his belt through each of the belt loops, his fingers meticulously maneuvering the black leather through the hook.

Today was the day. Or at least it was supposed to be. Today Oliver would introduce himself to Felicity for who he really was. His family had practically thrown a party when they had received word from the ARGUS. He, on the other hand, had mourned life as he knew it. Football? Gone. Soccer? Gone. Dating? Gone. Felicity would consume his life and eventually he would be expected to give his for hers.

Mouth dry, Oliver pressed a finger against the cool glass of his window and observed the weather critically. Despite the forecast for a beautiful fall day, a strong thunderstorm had ripped its way through his tiny town. Hail punished the ground brutally as it pelted the saturated grass. Fog unfurled its humid fingers sullenly, making it almost impossible for his blue eyes to see across his yard. In the distance, a low rumble of thunder sounded. The storm, it seemed, was intensifying.

 _Felicity_ , he thought impassively. The funeral must be moments away from beginning. With this storm, he would be even later than he had previously planned. He almost grinned at the thought of an even later appearance. His father would be absolutely furious. Shaking his head, he watched as lightning exploded across the sky, illuminating every house on the block except for hers. A wild gust of wind set the leaves on a wild dance of fury. _Hurricane,_ he thought dazedly. Felicity had conjured a damned hurricane. He closed his eyes and tried to feel her, his mind reaching out to hers through their hidden connection. Overwhelming sadness and guilt coursed through their bond until Oliver staggered back. Calming her without notice would be impossible today.

It was obvious to him that she was coming into her powers too quickly. The passing of her mother had been the spark to ignite the powder keg of her explosive potential. Each day since her mother's disappearance had seen unnaturally severe bouts of weather. Scorching heat in the middle of winter to terrifying flash floods that had sent several of his neighbors scurrying to church to pray for salvation. Oliver's stomach twisted uncomfortably as he recalled how lifeless she had seemed when she had finally returned to school in May. Felicity and Oliver had always run in different social circles, he'd made sure of it, yet due to his destiny he'd been forced to watch her. Her soft curves had deteriorated to virtually invisible as the sadness had stolen her appetite. Several times he thought the ARGUS would force him to intervene, to step into his position early and nurture her burgeoning powers. Fortunately for him, they'd been just as content to watch her drown as he had.

A thought nagged deep within his mind, each whisper raising to a scream as he tried to shrug it off. They hadn't called him to duty because her mother had been alive. He'd known because he had watched Felicity dream it, every night, unknowingly watching her mother's brutal torture at the hands of their enemy. Each night he would try to stave off sleep so he wouldn't have to share in her hellish nightmares. Each night he prayed that Donna, Felicity's mother, would escape and allow him to put off his destiny for another year.

This time, though, she had not. Donna had escaped and been killed as punishment and each night Oliver was forced to watch through Felicity's mind as she connected with her mother. He chanced a glance at the sketchpad that was sitting idly on his desk and shuddered. He had taken to drawing Felicity's dreams, trying to make sense of the horrifying images so that he could protect Felicity without having to step into his official role.

 _Guardian_ , he thought darkly. _More like unwilling martyr_.

Tiredly he swiped a hand over his eyes and walked slowly towards the door. Today he would be forced to accept his destiny. The ever-growing danger was real and Felicity had to be able to protect herself. Pausing at his desk, he keyed in the security code and watched with disinterest as his weapons drawer popped open with a hiss. Selecting a dagger from its carefully padded home, he slid it into the holster he had hidden inside of his jacket and straightened himself. Eying his bow longingly, he sighed before turning to the window one last time. The hail was increasing in size.

With Felicity's emotions out of control, she was unwittingly displaying her powers with grandeur. _They_ would easily find her if she continued on this path and his life would be much shorter than he hoped. Snapping the light off hastily, he hurried down the stairs where his father waited for him.

"Are you ready, son?"

Oliver clenched his jaw and shrugged past his eager family. The truth was, he was not ready, and he would _never_ be ready. Stepping out onto the porch he closed his eyes and willed calm towards Felicity's chaotic mind. Grinning almost imperceptibly, he watched as the clouds immediately dissipated and the sun peaked through.

"Let's get this over with," he said gruffly, keeping his back to his parents.

Felicity dropped the plate of food she was holding limply as an overwhelming jolt of calm ripped through her depression. Shocked at the instant tranquility, she looked around her uneasily. Lately it had been feeling as if she were no longer in control of herself.

As if someone else was in her mind.

Setting herself on the edge of the couch, she watched numbly as her father's business associates discussed work around her. Their dull suits had, only seconds before, suffocated her, made her feel like screaming, but now she felt like the emotion was a million miles away.

She felt the seat next to her sag and steeled herself for the onslaught of polite condolences that left her feeling empty and broken. Instead as she turned, she felt Roy's warm hand engulf her own.

 _Are you ok?_

Felicity stared at him for a moment, tears filling her gray eyes, as she shook her head slowly. Another wave of calm washed over her and Roy's eyes widened.

 _What was that?_

"I don't know," her voice was shaky as she studied him critically. He looked so much like their father that Felicity felt her stomach clench uncomfortably. His perfectly coiffed hair was the only thing that connected them physically as siblings, though not as much anymore since she had decided to go bottle blonde. His hazel eyes searched hers, his mind trying to reach out to his as she shook her head.

 _Don't_.

He recoiled, his hurt showing all over his thirteen year old face. She winced. That was the second time today she had hurt his feelings when he was only trying to look out for her. Tightening her grip on his hand slightly, she caught his eye.

 _If I think about her again, I will crumble. We have to pretend today. For Dad._

Roy nodded grimly at her and turned his sharp hazel gaze to the guests in the room.

 _They all look like they have sticks up their asses_.

Snorting with laughter, Felicity tried to cover her smile. Several of the guests turned to them, frowns decorating their faces, and moved away from the pair with disdain.

 _Roy, you know Dad will kill us if he hears that we were being disrespectful to Mom's memory today. Let's just behave_.

 _Behave? You and me? Please. Besides, where has he been for the last six months? We needed him here_.

Felicity could hear the rebellious tinge to Roy's thoughts but could almost touch his hurt. He had missed his father and had called him nightly, begging him to come home. Their father, as always, had placed a higher value on the money he was making at work than the fact that his children had been suffering. She tightened her jaw and nodded at a few guests who had been sending sympathetic glances at Roy and Felicity's intertwined hands.

"As long as we have each other, we'll always be ok." She said the words out loud, hoping everyone heard them as she pulled Roy up from the sitting room couch and towards the back of the house. Roy shot her a grin when he realized that she was moving them closer to the porch, where the suffocating group of her father's business associates were not. As she inched them closer to the crown molding near the entrance of the porch, she froze. Her father's cold, snappish voice sounded, causing every hair on her body to rise.

"Yes, that was very Donna. Disappearing when things got tough. I'm not sure we'll ever truly know why she chose to desert us so suddenly." Donna felt the bile rise up her throat as she squeezed Roy's hand tightly.

"She was quite flighty, that Donna. Now tell me, do you think you'll ever remarry, Damien?"

Felicity felt Roy suck in a harsh breath as they both waited for their father to answer. The dull pounding of her heart seemed to be filling her ears as Roy tried to tug forward to hear more clearly. Felicity's gray eyes caught sight of her father's crisp business suit and reached a hand out to still Roy. Her father couldn't catch them eavesdropping, it would be the height of rudeness.

"What an insensitive question to ask at my late wife's funeral, Peter," his voice was cool and laced with an undercurrent of menace as he moved closer to the offending questioner.

"I didn't mean- I just meant that a person of your standing within the company needs a partner," Peter stumbled over his words as he moved his glasses up his nose. Felicity felt a surge of answer swirling within her chest, threatening to explode as she held Roy in place.

"If I do remarry, it will be none of your concern. I am respected enough to continue with my position without a partner. Never forget that, Peter. Never forget who I am and what I will do to you if you continue to poke your nose into my business."

Felicity watched as her father seemed to double in stature as he gazed impassively at Peter, who seemed shrink under his scrutiny.

"HIVE leaders are always married," Peter whispered.

Grabbing him by the throat, Felicity watched as her father slammed Peter's burly frame against the wall of their porch with little effort.

"You will do well to not mention that name in this house. There are things at play that you couldn't possibly understand as it is above your pay grade. If you interfere again, Peter Malone, please understand that I will destroy you."

Roy tensed next to her and Felicity eased them away from the door. She shook her head at Roy as he opened his mouth and watched helplessly as he walked off sullenly. She watched him as he walked away, all sharp edges and tense rebellion. Her heart ached for him and turned back to look at her father but he, and Peter, were gone. She hadn't imagined it. There had been something sinister about what she and Roy had overheard. A nagging voice in the back of her mind whispered that the name had sent shivers down her spine too.

What had it been? _HIVE_. That was not the name of her father's company and she was fairly certain that she had never heard it before. Why then, had it sent warning bells off inside of her head? Closing her eyes, she ran a tired hand over her face. She would never be granted a moment of rest- at least not while the circus show of a funeral was taking place.

From deep within her house she heard shouting and recognized her Bubbe's voice. Hurriedly, she walked through the hallway, nodding politely at guests, until she found her Bubbe's normally poised and calm frame stiffly blocking the doorway to her house.

"You're not allowed here, Queen. She's not ready. Get your boy out of here before it's too late for the both of them," her Bubbe's normally muted Southern drawl was back in full force. Her spry and slender body was tense and her fists were clenched at her side.

Felicity walked closer to her Bubbe and placed a hand on her shoulder. She eyed the visitors with curiosity before recognizing Oliver Queen. Oliver Queen was the ultimate popular jock at her school and had been since birth. He was one year older than her and had been the object of her secret high school crush until he had graduated. Observing him and his family, she felt her Bubbe grab her hand and shove her behind her.

"Leave, Robert. It's not time. Not here," there was an undercurrent of desperation coursing under her Bubbe's voice and Felicity felt herself grow nervous. Why were they here?

"Donna, we got the call. Donna would have wanted us here," Mr. Queen's voice was gravelly as he eyed Felicity contemplatively. His blue eyes seemed to see through Felicity and she shifted uncomfortably. Her eyes searched out Oliver's and found herself incredibly disappointed that he was ignoring her. Finally she felt a spark of bravery and cleared her throat.

"Sir, with all due respect, you seem to be upsetting my Bubbe. I think it's time that you go," Felicity watched as Oliver seemed to perk up at the end of her sentence. She tossed a blonde curl over her shoulder and said quietly, "This event is for friends and family."

Outside the wind seemed to pick up and rattle the windows within their frames.

"Felicity, I've been friends with your mother since before you were born. My wife and I used to baby sit for you when you were little."

A crowd had gathered around their entryway and Felicity could feel Roy's lanky frame step behind her protectively. He glared at Mr. Queen and placed a hand on Felicity's shoulder. Suddenly, the crowd began to part as Felicity's father shouldered his way in front of Felicity and Roy.

"What are you doing here, Robert? You and your family were specifically not invited, as per Donna's request. You will leave this house. And you will leave it now."

Felicity watched as Oliver seemed to spark to life at the sight of her father. His blue eyes seemed to glow with renewed purpose as he studied the scene in front of him. Oliver's father, however, seemed sick at the appearance of her father. After a long, tense moment of silence, it was Felicity's Bubbe who ended the silence.

"Donna would have wanted them here, Damien. You will allow her last request to be honored," her voice was quiet, resigned even, as she stepped aside and let the Queens in their house. Finally she turned to the crowd and said, "The rest of you should be ashamed. Crowded around as if you're watching a play. My daughter is dead. We are choosing to remember today. Go back to your idle chit-chat."

Chin tilted, Gran walked over to Mrs. Queen, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and led her further into the belly of the house. Felicity could practically feel the heat of her father's ire and tensed. Roy was usually his target when he got this angry. Tugging at Roy's hand, she tried to lead him away before they were noticed.

"Roy, where have you been? Why is your hair so sloppy? I specifically told you to watch your appearance today of all days. Clean yourself up and hold yourself in a manner befitting a Kutler," his clipped tone left Roy's shoulders slumping in self-conscious defeat. He nodded and marched towards the staircase to clean up.

 _Roy, he's an asshole. It's not you._

Roy shot her a glance and Felicity sucked in a breath at how broken he looked.

 _It's always me, Felicity. I'm never enough._

With fury, Felicity spun around on her heel and shot an angry glance at her father, "Today is Mom's _funeral_ , Dad. It's not the time for business. Apologize."

Amused, Felicity's father took a step closer to her and instantly Felicity remembered the way effortless way that her father had slammed Patrick against the wall and felt a tingle of fear ripple down her spine.

"You will do well to remember who you are speaking to, Felicity Nicole. I will not remind you again." Grinning at her menacingly, he looked above her head and his expression evened out.

"Oliver, how lovely to see you again. How is MSU?"

"It's fine, sir. I was hoping to speak to Felicity, if I may."

Felicity spun around and found herself looking into the impassive blue eyes of Oliver Queen.


	3. The Last Day of Our Lives

**The Last Day of Our Lives**

Oliver fought to keep his jaw clenched as Felicity's father assessed him coolly. He could feel every muscle in his body growing taut with tension the longer the silence stretched on. Mr. Dhark's pale blue eyes burned into Oliver's skin, until finally, his face transformed into a calculated expression of glee.

"My daughter and I were having a discussion about respect, Oliver. Perhaps while you're chatting with her, you can remind her where to find some," eyes sliding to Felicity, her father smirked and sauntered off.

Chills ran the length of Oliver's spine as he attempted to wrench his attention from Mr. Dhark. _Evil_ , his mind whispered eerily and he suppressed the urge to follow after him. Vividly, he remembered the intense wave of fear that he had sensed coming from Felicity and, despite his best intentions to avoid her, felt drawn to her side. After encountering him face to face, all of Oliver's instincts were ready to label him as the enemy. Though he couldn't quite put his finger on it, he catalogued the feeling away in the back of his mind and shook his head grimly. Something was off with Felicity's father, of that, he was certain.

When he finally managed to glance down at Felicity, she was self-consciously running a hand through her snarled blonde hair and peering up at him shyly. Her ocean blue eyes were studying him, full of insecurity and self-doubt. Oliver felt his heart speed up slightly and looked away uncomfortably. He had sensed her schoolgirl crush on him in high school and while he was never cruel to her, he had endeavored to make her feel invisible to him. Speaking to her now would break down his hard-pressed efforts at putting distance between them. Finally, the silence between them had grown so heavy that it seemed to blanket them.

"Oliver? Is everything…ok?" her voice was melodic and laced with an undercurrent of anxiety that niggled at his brain. How he reacted next would change the course of both of their lives.

Reaching out, he grasped her thin hands and said, "I'm sorry for your loss, Felicity. I just wanted to let you know that."

Her soft blue eyes studied him curiously and her disappointment was almost palpable as she responded softly.

"Thank you. I didn't know your father and my mother were so close."

While the words were innocent and unassuming, Oliver felt his body tense. Oliver's father had tried to pick up where Felicity's mother's Guardian and had failed. Though he had been young, he could remember a pregnant Donna moving in with them and the heated arguments that had ensued. In her grief, she had been incredibly stubborn and had fought the ARGUS' insistence that she remain in hiding, every step of the way.

It was then that Oliver first became aware of his duty, his _destiny_. Even from the womb, Felicity had called to him, drawing him closer to Donna, making him incredibly curious about her.

Oliver even remembered Felicity's father, Noah. Noah had been an unofficial member of the family- Oliver's uncle for all intents and purposes, until he had been killed. His wide smile and unruly pale hair had always made Oliver laugh. It also didn't hurt that he always brought toys when he came to visit the Queen house.

After finally forcing ARGUS to loosen her protective detail, Donna had moved out and remarried. No one in ARGUS attended her wedding, instead choosing to shun her out of respect for Noah. Donna, however, had continued to come to the Queen house once a month after Felicity's birth to brief the family on Felicity's developing powers and meet, in hushed whispers, with Oliver's father. While he wasn't entirely sure of the reason, he felt that guilt kept her coming back.

"Our parents have been friends since they were children. They grew up together. My father was best friends with your father."

Surprised, Felicity turned her head, "Really? It didn't seem that my father was happy to see your father today. Did they have a falling out?"

Dread dropped like a stone in Oliver's gut. _She didn't know_.

"What he means, dear, is that his father had a hopeless crush on your mother. But you knew your mother, Donna was always so clueless about things," shooting a pregnant look at Oliver, Felicity's grandmother stepped between them.

"Ms. Smoak," Oliver acknowledged respectfully, the words like lead in his mouth. _How could she not know_? This would make his job so much more complicated. Instead of training her for a nearly impossible task, he would have to bring her to the truth- a truth so unbelievable that he wished, nightly, it weren't true.

"Oh Oliver, please call me Lydia. I changed your parent's diapers- I would say we're practically family." She watched him, eyes searching his desperately, and shook her head imperceptibly. Immediately Oliver understood. Felicity was meant to be kept in the dark.

"Felicity, my dear, would you please go put a pot of tea on, all of these guests are beginning to give me a bit of a headache." The command was gentle but a command nonetheless. Felicity nodded before shooting Oliver another curious glance and moving slowly towards the kitchen.

"She doesn't know," he said flatly.

"No," Lydia said softly.

"You have given me an impossible task." The words sounded empty and detached, which caused Lydia to look at him with surprise.

"She wasn't ready to hear the truth. Not yet." Fiddling with the opal ring on her finger, Lydia handed him a sealed envelope.

"Read it. It's from Donna. She left it for you shortly before she was…before she disappeared," Lydia's voice was shaking in time with her hands as she extended the envelope. Oliver stared at it for a moment and shook his head in frustration.

"I'll take it as long as you answer me this, Lydia. How could you do this to her? She's in danger. She conjured a damn hurricane this afternoon and she has no idea that she did it. You might as well roll out the welcome mat for our enemies. Your carelessness has put everyone in unspeakable danger."

Lydia's eyes filled with tears that did not spill as she straightened her back. Oliver could see the strength fortifying behind her eyes and her chin developing a stubborn tilt.

"I had no choice. There are things you don't understand at play. Donna was still alive and Felicity's po—" her voice trailed off as Roy came and wrapped a thin arm around her shoulders. Oliver observed him with interest, curious if he, too, had Felicity's explosive potential. Roy's young face was gaunt but his hazel eyes were sharp and observant. He looked at Oliver as if he were trying to pry into his mind with just a glance.

"Roy, I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." The words were direct and simple but Oliver could feel the nervous tension behind them. Roy shot one last cursory glance at Oliver before moving his attention back to his grandmother.

"Bubbe, have you seen Dad? He wanted me to meet some of his business associates," shoulders slumping, Roy searched the crowd. His lean, pre-adolescent body seemed taut with tension. Observing him silently, Oliver wondered whether all of the Dhark children were afraid of their father and felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him. Children shouldn't be afraid of their parents- they should feel appreciated and loved.

"Darling, who on Earth did he say he wanted you to meet, today of all days?"

"Some man named, Peter? I saw them get into a fight earlier about Dad getting…getting remarried. For work." Roy said the words softly but anyone close enough to him could hear the resentment laced into his tone.

Donna's face, however, paled. She shot a nervous glance at Oliver before placing a delicate hand on Roy's broad shoulders.

"I think your father will be able to bear the disappointment of you not meeting Peter for one more day. Come, I was hoping to talk to you in the garden. Let's go see if that's where Felicity has run off to." Shooting an apologetic look at Oliver, she eyed the crowd sharply and led Roy quickly away from the guests.

Fingering the envelope in his hand, Oliver tucked it into his jacket grimly. Whatever was inside of it would not help make the road of him easier. Nor would it help Felicity believe the truth about what faced her.

" _Momma, why does Bubbe like tea so much?"_

" _Well, Felicity-bo-icity, your Bubbe likes tea so much because she believes a cup of tea can solve the world's problems." Felicity watched as her mom set out the tea set with expert practice. Sighing, she placed her head onto of the counter and strained on her tip-toes to touch the flower on the tea cup that had been set aside for her._

" _Pretty, huh?"_

 _Nodding vigorously, Felicity stared up at her mother with complete adoration. Her mother's bronze hair was tamed into an elegant topknot that framed her blue-gray eyes expertly. Everything about her mother was beautiful._

" _When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Momma."_

 _Smiling down at her, Felicity's mother crouched until she was face to face with her seven-year-old daughter._

" _Oh no, honey. You'll be much more special than I ever will be. Smoak women always are. You have gifts, baby girl. Wonderful, wonderful gifts. One day, you'll be able to move mountains." Kissing her on the nose sweetly, she ruffled Felicity's copper hair with an affectionate nuzzle and went back to setting up the tea set._

 _Felicity giggled and twirled excitedly, Grinning, Felicity watched her mother nimbly dole out the sugar to the sugar bowl and pressed her face against her mother's side._

" _I love you, Momma."_

 _Grinning down at her, Felicity's mom said, "I love you too Felicity-bo-icity."_

Hands shaking, Felicity fought to steady herself as she doled out the sugar to the sugar bowl. Echoes of her mother's memory were everywhere in her house- but the kitchen had always been their special place. Her father had considered the kitchen beneath him and therefore avoided entering its threshold at all costs. Her mother, on the other hand, had taught her that there was nothing more satisfying that creating something with your hands.

Tears welling in her eyes, Felicity sucked in a deep breath. Eyes floating over to her wrist, Felicity fingered the bracelet she had been given on her sixteenth birthday. When her mother had opened the box, she had been emotional, and pride had radiated off of her in waves.

" _It's for you Felicity-bo-icity. So you won't forget me."_

" _You haven't called me Felicity-bo-icity in ages, Mom. Don't you think I'm a little too old for it now?"_

 _Grinning, Felicity's mother shook her head, "Never. You'll always be my baby. Forever and always. Never forget that."_

 _Smiling wryly, Felicity edged her fingers under the wrapping paper. Her heart started to pound as she uncovered a velvet jewelry box. Throwing a cautious glance at her mother, Felicity popped open the box. On the inside, nestled in a cushion of scarlet, was a beautiful charm bracelet._

" _Mom- why would…didn't Bubbe give this to you?"_

" _Every woman in my family has owned this bracelet and now I'm giving it to you. You're special, Felicity. More special than you realize. Someday, when I've gotten old and gray, you can look at this bracelet and remember me."_

 _Tears burning her eyes, Felicity blinked fiercely and pulled her mother into a ferocious hug._

" _I love you, Momma. Forever and always."_

"Penny for your thoughts."

Felicity jumped, startled, when she heard the raspy voice behind her. Blushing and ducking her head, she peered up into the sympathetic face of Oliver Queen.

"Oliver, I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't see you there. Were you standing there long?" Her voice sounded unsteady, even to her own ears, and she forced herself to plaster a smile on her face.

"Felicity, you don't have to pretend with me. I would imagine that you're devastated and that every room holds a memory of your Mom. Honestly, I'm surprised you're not tearing down the walls," despite what she assumed was his best attempt at sincerity, Oliver's face looked oddly anxious.

"I do. Miss her. I think I always will. The day that I stop missing her will be the day that I die. But everyone tells me that it gets easier. That someday it won't hurt to breathe and I won't feel like a fraud every time I tell Roy that she didn't want to leave us. I just…" her voice trailed off and she felt a bewildered expression take over her face. _Why am I telling him so much? Just shut up, Felicity_.

"You just what?" The voice was gentle but urging.

"I just wish that it had been me instead." The words were heavy and they seemed to expand and take up residence between them. Blinking rapidly, Felicity pushed a rogue wave behind her ear and tidied up the tea tray.

"Would you like some tea? I'm sure my Bubbe is chomping at the bit because it's taken me so long."

It was then that she felt Oliver's warm hand brush her shoulder. _Comforting_ , her mind whispered, _he's trying to comfort me._ Calm washed over her, as strong and sure as it had earlier when she had been alone in her room. Despite herself, she found her body leaning into his touch, every fiber of her being vibrating with excitement.

"I should go," Oliver said suddenly and edged away, a disgruntled expression marring his handsome features. He abruptly turned on his heel and disappeared out of the kitchen as fast as he had come.

Staring at the porcelain tea set was sitting idly on the tray; Felicity closed her eyes and sighed. Her life was too confusing and jumbled to add in a boy. _Wasn't it?_ Outside a strong gust of wind rattled the windows in their pane and she shuddered guiltily. She was losing focus of why today was important.

She wouldn't let it happen again.


	4. Little Bit of Everything

**Little Bit of Everything**

Oliver yanked open the door to the bathroom with an irritated huff. He had… _felt_ something for her. Cursing and shaking his head, he forced himself to sit down on the lip of the porcelain tub in the corner. Surely, he thought, it was figment of his imagination. He had known Felicity her entire life and up until this point, had felt nothing but disgusted despair towards her.

Up until this moment, he realized, he had been holding his breath. Waiting, terrified, that she would awaken and he would be thrust into a destiny that would ultimately lead to his demise. In the kitchen, however, Oliver had electricity crackle between them. Undeniable chemistry. When his hand had touched her shoulder ( _comforting_ , he reminded himself harshly, _I was comforting her)_ , he had felt the Earth move beneath them. Frustration coursed through him, clear and strong. He knew that when they were in close quarters, he often absorbed her emotions. That had to be it.

 _Or,_ his mind whispered, _ARGUS has planned this all along_.

Gritting his teeth, he closed his eyes and tried to bite back the panic he was feeling. He would not fall in love with her. Maybe that had been the destiny of every Guardian before her but he would not fall victim to the lie. Wasn't it enough that he might potentially die protecting her? Wasn't it enough that he had been forced to share her every niggling emotion since she was born? Wasn't it enough that he was giving up himself to be what she needed? Why, then, would they force him to _love_ her too?

"You can't force me to do this, do you hear me? I won't. On my family's honor, I will protect her- but you can't force me to love her. I won't," Oliver croaked stonily, his voice echoing off of the black and white tile of the bathroom. Angrily, he wondered if ARGUS was listening. Wasn't that just their way? They sat together, in their ivory tower, passing judgment on the pawns in their game with the enemy. Oliver and Felicity were just pawns in their ultimate, master plan.

Disposable, dispensable pawns.

Jerking himself up, he forced himself to examine her as a pawn. Her height would be a tactical advantage, though her willowy frame lacked muscle and strength. Training her would be difficult. Gritting his teeth, he felt a wave of resentment wash over him. _This isn't my choice_ , his mind screamed angrily and he took a step towards the door.

As his hand reached for the knob, he felt the prickling awareness that usually accompanied being watched. Spinning around, his hand moving swiftly towards the holster in his jacket, his eyes scanned the bathroom. Empty. The only things in the room were him and his frustration. Feeling foolish, he began to lower his hand from his jacket. _I'm starting to lose_ it, he thought sullenly, when his fingers brushed against the smooth envelope that he had carefully tucked into his jacket pocket. It suddenly struck him as odd that he was in possession of the last words that Donna Smoak-Dhark had ever written.

Easing the letter out of his pocket, he stared at her neat cursive intensely. What could she say to him that would make him understand? What could she say that would make what he was about to do any easier? Should he even bother to read it? Without his permission, his fingers began to make the decision. Sliding to the seam of the envelope, they eased it apart to unveil the letter. He could feel the imprint of Donna's forceful print on the page and suddenly began to feel nervous.

Forcing himself back onto the lip of the tub, he snatched the letter out and unfolded it.

"Felicity, I told you to be in this room fifteen minutes ago. Where in the hell were you?"

Felicity felt her shoulders tense as her father whispered harshly in her ear. This was one of his intimidation tactics, she knew, but she was determined to not let him get to her. In truth, she had gone searching for Roy after the scene their father had made over a few broken dishes- but she would never let him know that.

"I was obviously getting my jollies out of blatantly disrespecting you, Father," she whispered back bravely. Awareness of her father's proximity niggled at her, forcing her to duck her head. He had never hit her but there had been more than one occasion that she had worried that he would.

That was life with her father, however, living on a knife's edge- never sure whether he would lose the tenuous grasp on his temper or stay in control. She tried to swallow but her throat had gone suddenly dry. Today of all days would not be the day to test him.

"What did you just say?" The words were controlled- tight, as if they would break if even the faintest amount of pressure was put on them. His posture had straightened so that he towered over her slim frame, casting his shadow over the room.

"I said, I'm sorry, Father. I apologize for my late arrival. How can I help you?"

"I want to know where your brother is and I want to know _now_ ," the tone was so acidic that Felicity was surprised he hadn't burned her with them. The smirk was back in place, his posture easing so that he could save face with his co-workers.

"I think he went to bed. He wasn't feeling well earlier. It is nearly eleven o'clock and we've been up since six this morning." The lie slipped out of her mouth easily and she surprised herself by looking at him firmly.

"I see. Well, I'll make my way upstairs to check on him after my colleagues leave. Pity, though, that he won't be attending baseball practice after school tomorrow."

"Why wouldn't he be attending baseball practice tomorrow?" Felicity felt her face heating up with frustration and anxiety. Roy would kill her if she got him kicked off the team for missing practice.

"Given his illness, I feel his attendance would be imprudent, don't you agree?" Her father leered at her, eagerly digesting her uncomfortable and remorseful expression.

"I'm sure he'll be feeling better tomorrow. Why don't I just go check on him again?"

"Yes, do that." Turning on his heel, he sauntered away from her. Felicity watched, helpless to protect her brother from her father's insidious attention. All night he had been dragged from one group of her father's colleagues to the next. Each of them had been joyous to meet him, studying and scrutinizing his every move. Felicity had thought it was odd and had watched, more than once, as her Grandmother had steered Roy away from each new group. _Almost as if she were protecting him from something,_ her mind whispered.

Shivering, Felicity hugged herself and walked slowly out of the foyer. She had checked all of Roy's usual haunts within the house but had been unsuccessful in her endeavor to find him. Grinning, she realized that she hadn't checked _their_ spot out in the backyard- the one place they had always gone when they needed the other to chase after them. After tonight, Roy certainly needed some quiet time to himself and their spot would be the perfect place to find it. Tossing a nervous glance back into the belly of her house, Felicity slipped off her shoes and darted out into the inky shadows of the forest behind her house. Rough bark scraped the bottoms of her feet as she sprinted through the trees, almost euphoric at the feeling of being released from the careful stares of the unsympathetic crowd her father forced her to be around. After running for close to five minutes, she stopped and took a deep breath. The night air was crisp and cool and, despite the fact that she knew it was childish, she spun around. Her dress flaired out, giving the gentle breeze access to her legs, and she giggled. She had always loved coming out here with her mother and Roy. It had been their place.

She trudged over to the large Oak tree that stood in the center of the clearing and ran a loving hand down the trunk. This Oak, affectionately nicknamed Thea by Roy, had been their favorite tree to climb since they were little.

"How have you been doing, Old Girl? Seen Roy anywhere around here?" Felicity paused, as if giving the tree time to respond, and smiled morosely. Her mother had always said that nature would speak to her if she would only be careful enough to listen to the answers.

 _The tree will never answer back, stupid. Mom was wrong about that too._

Felicity stepped back in surprise as Roy came scurrying down the tree like a squirrel. She studied him for a minute, taking in his disheveled suit and tie, and his mussed dark hair. He looked so lost and so incredibly young. Reaching for him, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, his height making it difficult for her.

 _You look especially handsome right now, loser. Have you been out here the entire time? I was worried about you._

Stepping back, she smoothed out the crumpled cotton of her dress and ran her fingers against Thea's gnarled bark.

 _I just needed to get away. I couldn't take any more of the weird, prying questions, you know?_

Felicity tilted her head in surprise and spoke out loud, "Prying questions? Like what?"

Roy shrugged, pressing his lips together tightly before leaning against Thea.

 _They wanted to know about my dreams. Like if I saw myself working with my father or if I saw my mother in my dreams. It was weird._

Something about those words made her skin tingle in warning. Roy stared at her, his eyes wide and haunted, before tilting his head curiously.

 _Why are you out here anyway? I thought you said we shouldn't come here anymore._

 _Dad was looking for you._

Eyes wide, Roy said, "Shit. I was supposed to be back a few hours ago. He's going to kill me."

Felicity cringed before speaking, "I…I might have said you were sick."

Roy went stock still before he pushed away from the tree and walked closer to her, "What did he say about baseball, Felicity?"

"That you would have to miss practice." Felicity watched as Roy's entire body took on the posture of a feral cat. Gone was the relaxed slump and in its place was the tight, rigid posture of a soldier.

"You knew. You knew that if I missed anymore practice, Coach would kick me off the team. Why didn't you just say that you couldn't find me? Why did you have to go and open your big mouth, huh?" His tone was sharp and filled with ire. Felicity couldn't remember a time when she had seen him that angry. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as his hands clenched into fists. Inadvertently, she took a step back from him.

Roy noticed immediately and went still. He forced his shoulders to relax and looked at her apologetically, "Felicity…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just…he makes me so mad. It's not fair that I have to lose baseball too. Isn't it enough that he makes me intern at his stupid company all summer? Now I can't play baseball? It's like he enjoys punishing me."

Felicity reached her fingers out towards Roy, sending him a small smile, before she pushed her fingers between his. They hadn't held hands since they were children. Roy leaned his head on her shoulder and instantly Felicity remembered how young Roy was. How much he had been forced to grow in the past few months.

 _Do you remember when we got caught out here during that storm?_ Felicity closed her eyes, remembering the loud bass of the thunder and bright, illuminating lightning.

 _Felicity, that was forever ago. I was five?_

Felicity closed her eyes, seeing Roy's pudgy arms clinging to her leg, his eyes welling with tears, and his gentle curls plastered to his head. He had been terrified of the storm, crying out for their mother, and refusing to leave Felicity's arms. She remembered pulling them in between Nora's gnarled roots and holding Roy close to her. She remembered telling him not to be afraid, that the storm would pass, and that whenever he got scared of the thunder, he should remember this moment and know he was safe. She then remembered squeezing her eyes shut and wishing that the storm would go away. That it would leave them long enough to get inside to get them inside.

Like magic, it had.

 _I never felt afraid of a thunderstorm again._

Felicity squeezed his hand and smiled, _I'm your big sister, Roy. I will always protect you. I promise. No matter what it takes, I will always have your back. Even against Dad._

 _I know_.

Though it was a short, timid response, Felicity felt his posture relax. Closing her eyes, she desperately wished that their mother was there with them. She always knew how to handle their father. She always knew how to handle _everything_.

 _Do you miss her?_ Roy's mind asked the question hesitantly, quietly.

 _I miss her so much that it hurts. I feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest and I can't breathe. The world feels like its ending- like the sun shouldn't still be shining while she's gone. But it does. Every day, I get up and I expect her to be in the kitchen, making us pancakes and teasing me about school. But she's not and I don't know how to deal with it._

Roy nodded and swiped angrily under his eyes. He sat quietly, his shoulders shuddering with sobs, before mumbling, "Me too."

 _We'll be ok, Jus. I promise, I will never let anything happen to you. Besides, I have a feeling it's going to rain tomorrow._

Roy grinned at her through his tears and shook his head, "If anyone could make it rain, it would be you."

 _Oliver,_

 _I suppose the best way to start this letter is to apologize profusely for the immense challenge that I've left for you. It was never my intention to leave things so unsettled, to leave my children behind in such a dangerous situation, but, unfortunately the best laid plans never go the way we would like. When I left this letter with my mother, I had hoped that she wouldn't have to give it to you- that for once, my visions would be wrong. If you're reading this, they were not. HIVE has captured me and they will now be looking for what I have worked so diligently to protect. You have to protect them, Oliver. If you can't, everything ARGUS has worked so hard for will be destroyed. Everything I worked so hard to protect will be lost._

 _My children are in danger, Oliver. I know that Felicity is your charge, which is a big responsibility for any young man. Being a Guardian is not something you can choose, Oliver. Either you are one or you aren't. I know how afraid you must feel. I know how burdensome it must be to feel like you have no choice. I wish that I could do something to help you but I'm afraid what I've done has made everything so much harder for you. I had a mission, Oliver. After Noah's passing, I needed to do something that would stunt the growth of HIVE. So I did the only thing I could. I married into the darkest cult of our time. I had to stop them, Oliver. I had to protect the future I had foreseen._

 _I fear that I have made everything worse. I gave HIVE a meta-human weapon in Roy. I put my son in harm's way. I have tied his fate to Felicity's. Felicity doesn't know who her real father is, Oliver. It needs to be this way. If my husband were to suspect Felicity's true parentage or her true identity, he would have her killed. You and Felicity will change everything, Oliver. If you can protect Roy, preserve his kind heart and gentle nature, he will mean the downfall of HIVE. Together, they will have the power to do what ARGUS has failed to do for so long…_

 _The contents of this letter must remain secret, Oliver. I thought I had more time. I thought I could bring Felicity to the truth. I thought I would lead her through the trials and tribulations of having powers the way that my mother did for me. Unfortunately, I could not. I managed to stall the development of her powers, Oliver. Now that I'm gone, I'm afraid that she will be unable to control them. You must act soon. You must help my children._

 _I will watch over you,_

 _Donna_

Oliver stared at the neat cursive on the page for what felt like hours. Sighing, he ran his hands over the length of his face and groaned. Donna hadn't just left him with an impossible task, she'd left him with far too dangerous of one. He was a gifted Guardian- his parents had made sure of that, but to fight in HIVE's backyard? It was too dangerous and far too complicated. His eyes drifted over the neat scrawl and unwittingly his fingers traced over Roy's name. Felicity's brother would be an unexpected and added complication. _I gave HIVE a meta-human weapon in Roy_ , she had said. His fingers tightened around the edge of the tub and his mind drifted to his recent interactions with Roy. The young boy was all edges. Even from the limited exchange of words, he could tell that anger was simmering beneath the surface, waiting for the opportunity to explode.

"Do you understand what you've left me with, Donna? The danger you've put me in? Do you understand that I might die?"

Oliver waited, hoping that Donna's signature line, 'I will watch over you' was true. Didn't she owe him guidance? Didn't she owe him more of an explanation?

Didn't she owe him a way out?


	5. The Sun is Rising

**The Sun is Rising**

Oliver could practically feel the anticipatory stares of his family members boring into his back. Shrugging off his jacket slowly, he tried to collect his thoughts. If he accepted, if he agreed to this, his destiny would truly be beginning. His brothers, John and Ray seemed especially anxious, particularly because they knew they were next in line if he were to forfeit his destiny. Though they had been eager to be selected, they had finally found women they were willing to settle down with. Women that they loved voluntarily- not because of some twisted sense of duty. To be selected now would mean cancelling weddings, divorcing wives, and leaving behind families.

Throwing his jacket over a chair, he turned to face his parents.

"If you knew that doing this would kill me would you still make me do it?" The words sounded hollow, dull, as if he had already accepted what the answer was going to be but he needed to hear it out loud.

His normally shrewd but optimistic mother seemed to shrink under the weight of the harsh reality of the question. Desperately, she turned her gaze towards her husband who was studying Oliver intently. His hazel eyes clouded with disappointment before looking at his wife and two sons. He nodded to them briefly, waiting for each of them to file out of the room before he turned to address Oliver.

"Yes. Any one of us, including your mother, would die to protect the Smoaks'. We would all cast aside our lives to protect the ARGUS. The Queens were selected, Oliver, from all of the other families on the ARGUS to protect _them._ It is our duty."

"I never had a choice, did I?"

"You always have a choice, son. Always. But your choice comes with consequences. If you refuse, our family will lose the Guardianship."

"Would it really be such a bad thing?" Oliver asked desperately, trying one last time to find his way out of the situation.

"The Smoaks would lose their Guardian. Felicity would die."

"Why do they matter so much? Why does she matter more than me?"

Oliver's father racked a hand through his hair before sitting himself down on the edge of the kitchen table. He looked at Oliver for a long moment, as if trying to sense whether he could handle the truth.

"Did you know that I was supposed to be Donna's Guardian?"

Only a bomb exploding in his kitchen could have surprised Oliver more. He staggered back, his eyes going wide before find his words, "What?"

"I was supposed to be Donna's Guardian. She…felt like you did. She felt that I was doing a duty. That I never truly loved her. That I loved her because I was supposed to. So she chose differently. I trained Noah to protect her because I knew that without it, she would die. I trained Noah because it was the last way that I could show her how much I truly cared. Then, sometime later, I met your mother. Suddenly, I understood what Donna had been saying all along. Your mother is my soulmate. Noah was Donna's."

Oliver tried to absorb the words he was hearing but everything sounded muffled, like he was slowly sinking under water. His father was supposed to be Donna's Guardian. _She_ had choose differently. There was still hope for him.

"Oliver, ARGUS stripped me of my abilities because I accepted what Donna had told me. They wanted to cast out our family. Donna was the one to stop them. She wasn't like Felicity. She didn't control Earth and its elements. She was a Seer. She came to the ARGUS, platinum hair flying every which way and demanded that they stop making such foolish decisions because she had foreseen you and her daughter. She claimed that together, you would be the most powerful Guardian and Protector duo, yet."

Dread hardened in his stomach. He had known that Donna had been a Seer. He had also known that she had been an impressive fighter, agile and powerful. No wonder she had known to write him the letter, she had foreseen her own capture.

"Was she ever wrong?"

"What?" Oliver's father turned to him suddenly, as if emerging from a dream, "Why are you asking?"

"Was Donna ever wrong? Did she ever see things that never came to be?" Heart pounding, Oliver felt his whole body vibrate with tension as he awaited the answer.

"No, son. She was never wrong."

"Then, I guess I accept. Though, I never had much choice, did I? They'd already made that decision for me."

Oliver watched as he father nodded to himself tiredly, "No, I don't suppose any of us did."

Felicity rubbed angrily at the shampoo in her hair before tilting her head back to rinse it out. Thoughts of Oliver Queen were swirling through her head, despite her best intentions to keep him out. He was like climbing ivy, wrapping his way around her every thought and leaving her feeling strangled.

When she had been in high school, she had always been drawn to him. Observed his chiseled features and well-built shoulders and swooned. To her, seemed like the kind of boy that would swoop in and save her from the harsh realities of the world she had been struggling to get through. At the time, Felicity's life had felt suffocating. She would lay awake in her bed and listen to the screaming fights between her parents. Her breath would freeze in her chest every time a door slammed or a glass shattered. She would crawl through the darkened hallways of their house to hold her mother's hand as she cried bitterly about the life she had chosen for herself. And she would take the brunt of acidic verbal attacks from her father to protect Roy. At the time, it had seemed easier to distract her father from Roy. Every day, she woke up and wished that she could be someone else- anyone else, just to escape the terror of her father's wrath. As time had gone by, she had begun to hate her father. Her hatred became like a poison, seeping slowly into her bones until she felt sick with the weight of it. Before her mother's disappearance, it felt like she was becoming him. Losing herself to the hatred and becoming something ugly.

She hadn't thought it could get worse.

Until it did.

Oliver had represented the fantasy of Prince Charming. The suave boy next door that would notice her and save her from her life of monotony. His hazel eyes held the kind of stoicism that would help her stand up to her father and help her mother ask for the divorce that everyone knew she wanted.

It was ironic, now, that Felicity wished that she could go back to those times. That she could escape back to the time when her biggest concerns were whether her father would abandon them. All of her worries then seemed to pale in comparison to the anxieties she struggled with now.

Picking up her conditioner, Felicity stopped for a moment and considered how silly she sounded. No boy was going to save her from her fate. It was up to her to protect herself, and most importantly, Roy. She had always promised her mother that she would look out for him. That she would put his needs before her own. She could do that for him, and most importantly, her.

Roy was the type of person that Felicity always wanted to be. He was strong, calm, and patient. His kindness had led him to forgive her countless times when her selfishness had caused her to embrace several diva tendencies. When Roy had been born, it had been an answer to her lonely prayers. Of course she had wished for a baby sister to play dress up with, trade Barbies with, and gossip about boys with. But fate had known what she'd really needed. Roy. He had been there holding her hand when she had been cut from soccer teams and ripped into fragile pieces from her father's intense scrutiny.

Roy had been there when no one else had. He had been her calm sea. Now, it was her turn. She had to become stronger. She needed to brutally sand down the jagged edges of pain that she felt rattling in her chest so that she could shield him from malicious intent. As hot rivulets of water trailed down her body, she felt overcome by a tidal wave of anger. How could her mother just abandon them? How could she leave them with her father? Felicity's mind raced as she imagined her mother, eyes filled with crocodile tears, staring at her children's empty beds before slipping her key into the front door and leaving forever.

Sliding down the wall of the shower, Felicity pulled her legs up to her chest and tried to calm her rapid breathing. Her mother had left that morning, for parts unknown, for _reasons_ unknown, without preparation. No bulging suitcase, no envelope overflowing with cash. Her mother had exited the house calmly, leaving everyone who resided there to hold their breath until her return.

It had never come.

Tears filling her eyes she whispered a thought that kept repeating in her mind, "Mom, how could you just leave us here like this?"

Felicity desperately needed to believe that her mother had not willingly left her. Her brain refused to acknowledge a world so desolate, a world that saw her mother exit from her life like a puff of smoke. No, she never would have done that. Something sinister had kept her away. She squeezed her eyelids together violently, her mind flashing with the images that had sewn themselves into her nightmares.

Night after night, she watched as her mother battled thick forest while dark figures chased her. Night after night, she watched as her mother's terror became more and more tangible until she nearly suffocated under the weight of it. Doubt and guilt twinned together within her until she opened her eyes and sobbed. The police theories pinged around in her brain until she felt nauseated. _Stalker. Serial Abduction. Abandonment. Missing. Corpse._ Her brain reacted violently to each.

Choking, Felicity coughed out a ragged breath and forced herself to breath carefully. Eight months. Her mother had been gone for roughly 240 days. 240 miserable, soul shattering days that seemed to grow darker as they drifted to completion. Staggering to her feet, Felicity's pruny fingers curled around the knob and turned the shower off. Robotically, she wrapped herself in a towel. Yanking a comb through her tangled waves, she willed her mind to think of something else.

Somewhat guilty, Felicity's mind drifted to Oliver Queen. Grinning wryly, she imagined what her mother would have said about Oliver. ' _My goodness, that Queen boy has grown up quite handsomely_ ,' her mother would have said absolute, undeniable sincerity. Her eyes, however, would have twinkled with pure, undiluted mischief. Donna's face had always belayed her emotions- a blank canvas that heavily featured the joys and wonder of life. Her happiness never overshadowed her strength, her integrity, or her sharp intelligence.

"I'm going to be more like that, Mom. I'm going to protect Roy and I will be happy. Someday."

Oliver paced the length of his room, holding Donna's letter. Anxiety tore at his conscious as he reread the words that she had chosen. " _I married into the darkest cult of our time,"_ Oliver stared at the words, willing them to disappear, his mind begging for her words to rearrange and become something different. Frustration ran clear through his veins until he crumpled the paper angrily.

HIVE was beyond evil. They used brokers to trick humans into selling their lives for their deepest desires- money, fame, power, whatever they secretly lusted after. Unfortunately, once they did, they lost everything. Families dissolved, ardent passions became obsessive downfalls, and human hosts became hollow, empty husks of who they had been. HIVE sought to take the purity of mankind and bend it to their malicious intent. They fed off of broken dreams, desolate heartache, and soul crushing defeat. If Oliver's Guardian training was to be believed, they were at the heart of what was poisoning the city. To know that Felicity lived directly under a broker's control made his skin crawl with anxiety.

"You left me an impossible task, Donna. You left her in the lion's den with no idea that she had the power to protect herself, with no idea that she _was_ in danger. You might as well have signed her death warrant yourself."

Tiredly, he threw himself into his desk chair. She would never believe him. Groaning, he imagined the conversation, "Felicity, have you noticed that the weather has been out of control lately? Yeah, you've done that. Turns out you're a weather-controlling freak." In his mind's eye, he could picture her running away from him, terrified. An amused grin slid across his face as he imagined trying to convince her through interpretative dance or angering her into weather.

She would never believe that her family had been charged with protecting the world's oldest secret. Why would she? He had known the truth since he was very young and he could hardly believe it. Glancing down at the infinity tattoo on his wrist, he idly wondered when the ARGUS would summon him for a debriefing on their initial encounter. He was sure they would be pleased that she was still enamored with him.

Suddenly, he understood his next course of action. He would have to entice her curiosity and use her attraction towards him to ease her into the understanding. Guilt nipped at the back of his mind as he considered the idea that he would be lying to her. He would maintain his emotional distance, giving her just enough to let her believe that there was a potential future between them. He would need her to believe the one thing he feared he could not fake- affection. He needed her to believe that he _cared_ her.

Oliver's hand clenched around Donna's letter as he reflected on the scent of Felicity's perfume as he had laid his hand on her shoulder. Vanilla and cinnamon. As much as he didn't want to admit it to himself, he could picture himself falling for her- just like they wanted him to. The thought angered him so much that he felt his palms begin to heat up. Cursing, he dropped Donna's letter into the trashcan and retrieved a match from his desk. Sighing, he slid the match against the sandpaper side and tossed it into the trashcan. Idly, he watched as the edges began to curl up in flame. He observed the paper critically, feeling a pang of regret that Felicity would never get to read her mother's last words. He tore his eyes away from the smoldering fire and grunted lowly in frustration.

"Objective one: get Felicity to trust me. Objective two: train her to kill the man she believes is her father."


	6. In Case You Didn't Know

**In Case You Didn't Know**

Perspiration dotted Oliver's forehead as he sat up jerkily in bed. _She_ was dreaming about her mother again. Oliver swatted irritably at his tangled sheets before switching on his lamp. Grabbing the sketchpad he had stored near his nightstand, Oliver rolled his shoulders and set to work. This time she had seen her mother running breathlessly through a forest as a shadowed figure trailed behind her slowly. His pencil slid rapidly over the paper, recreating each detail of her dream with deliberate motions. He took special care to highlight the horror on her mother's face- the fright lingering in her eyes that contrasted the grim set of her mouth.

She was getting closer to discovering the truth. Each night she was slowly recreating her mother's death, weaving together the horrifyingly dark memories of her mother's last moments. Dylan pressed the lead of his pencil more harshly to the page, roughly sketching the hooded figure that was in pursuit of her mother

They couldn't keep going like this. Soon Felicity would figure out that she wasn't just dreaming- she was connecting to her mother's residual energy. Gritting his teeth, he studied the image more closely. He needed clues- _something_ , _anything_ to help him protect her more carefully.

A light knock at the door startled him out of his reverie. Glancing at the clock, he grimaced. 4:30 am. His mother had probably felt his anxiety from the other room.

His voice sounded hoarse as he muttered an invitation to enter his room. Closing his sketchbook, he folded his arms over his chest and watched as his mother padded quietly into the room.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked sympathetically.

"No. _She_ couldn't." Despite his best efforts, bitterness laced his voice. He watched as his mother's thoughtful blue eyes studied him for a moment, graceful brows quirked in silent admonishment.

"Oliver, it's not her fault. She doesn't know."

The reprimand was evident; Oliver was expected to carry his burden with dignity- not with resentment.

"I never asked for this job, Mom. Ray and Diggle would have been much better choices. Now I'm stuck here, sharing Felicity's thoughts and dreams, and I don't want it."

The vehemence in his voice startled him slightly but he forced himself to maintain eye contact. Now that the words were out in the open, they couldn't be taken back. He watched as understanding brewed behind his mother's gaze and waited stiffly for her to respond.

"They weren't chosen, Oliver. You _were_. Even if they had to take your place, they would never be as connected to her. They would never be able to help her with the task that awaits her. Only you can, Oliver. She was made for _you_."

"I don't want to die for her, Mom. I don't want to die protecting her from the HIVE. I don't want to lose myself because my duty is to _her._ " Gripping the edges of his sketchbook, he remembered the heart pounding terror he had felt watching her mother flee through the forest. If he submitted to his destiny, the rest of his life would be like that. Filled with terror, suspense, and uncertainty.

"I don't want you to die for her either, honey. But this is your destiny. This duty has been passed down for generations in the Queen family. Every man in this family has had to accept it. One day, you will understand. I promise." Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Oliver's mother lifted herself from the corner of his bed and walked out quietly.

 _One day, you will understand_ , Oliver's mind echoed. Thumbing through his sketchpad he stopped on an image of the shadowy figure he kept seeing in her dreams. There was something so familiar about it, as if he had seen it a million times before. _Soon_ , he promised himself. Soon he would know who killed Felicity's mother and he would be able to stop them from pursuing Felicity. He only prayed that his instincts were wrong and that the true danger wasn't coming from her family.

Felicity's eyes flew open as she cried out a warning for her mother. Despite the humidity of her bedroom, she shivered and pulled her blankets more tightly against her body. Curling her body more tightly into itself, she tried to quiet her mind. One thing was for certain, the dreams were becoming more frequent and harder to ignore. Each night, her subconscious forced her to have vivid nightmares about her mother attempting to run from a hooded figure that was chasing her. _Her killer_ , her mind whispered.

She closed her eyes and saw flashes of her dreams flit before her. Her mother's terrified green eyes glancing behind her as her feet struggled to propel her forward. The echoing menace of a deep laugh in the distance. The exposed tree roots that seemed to shiver within the ground as lightning filled the sky.

She forced her eyes open and stared into the darkness of her room until tears blurred her vision. She couldn't keep doing this. These dreams were fantasy. Figments of her imagination that were resolving to bring closure to a year that might as well have been a nightmare.

"What happened to you, Mom? I know you wouldn't just leave us," Felicity whispered into the darkness brokenly. Staunching the flow of tears with her quilt, Felicity allowed herself to feel the full brunt of her devastation. Her mother had been missing for eight months now and the police had contacted her with the news that they were no longer considering her disappearance a working investigation. They had offered their sympathy and promised that they would follow any leads should an unidentified body turn up.

 _Body_. Her mind had seized in horror at the mere mention of the word. Her mother was no longer the warm, living and breathing embodiment of her mother. She was a lifeless corpse waiting to be discovered. Stifling a sob, she closed her eyes and tried to push the rapid-fire images of her mother's terror out of her mind. Despite the fact that she had attended her mother's funeral that afternoon, she still felt a kernel of hope in her heart. She hadn't been lying when she told Roy that the world felt wrong without her. She had just hidden that she secretly had been praying she would return- stumble into the yard, bloody and confused, but alive and present. If her dreams were any indication, that wasn't going to happen.

Touching the charms on her bracelet gently, she reminded herself that whatever had happened to her mother- whatever had taken her away, was gone. Perhaps the theories that her mother had had a stalker were true. Donna had made friends where she had gone. Virtually every individual who had met her, loved her instantly. Perhaps a friendly smile at the grocery store had awoken someone's sick obsession. Bile churned in her stomach when her fingers found the menorah charm her mother had added to the bracelet before Hanukah last year. It had always been her favorite. The charm that had brought her a sense of calm over the past few months. Now though, the menorah haunted her. She closed her eyes and glimpsed the strong, sturdy limbs of the oak trees and spiny branches of the pines that lined the path her mother was stumbling down.

What could it mean? It made no sense for her mother to be running through a forest- a forest that seemed to shudder in fear alongside her mother.

Sitting up abruptly, she swung her legs over the edge of her bed and walked to her bulletin board. Rifling through the cards, post it notes, and searched for a picture. Something about that forest had seemed…familiar.

Felicity's breath came puffing out of her mouth in a cloud of angry fog. Still, she pushed her legs forward determinedly. Music blared through the earbuds that she had jammed into her ears at a volume that was close to deafening, drowning out the chaotic thoughts that were jumbled up in her brain.

The forest from her dreams _had_ been familiar- because she had been there. For her ninth birthday, Donna had piled Felicity and Roy in the car and taken them to a gorgeous park for the day. They had spent the day playing in a field of dandelions, gorging themselves on homemade sandwiches and cookies, and examining clouds. It had been the best day of Felicity's life.

Pictures of that day had filled the memory box under Felicity's bed, except for one. Her mother had set the camera on a tree branch with a timer and they had each made silly faces while the sun kissed their cheeks. The picture looked otherworldly with its golden glow, but perfectly captured the magic of the day. Felicity had always loved the picture and now that her mother was gone, she stared at it often, marveling at how much she resembled her mother.

Her legs propelled her forward, sending her further down the trail into the belly of the woods. She should've felt startled by the splattering of rain against her face but instead she grinned. Rain, just like she had promised Roy. She pushed herself a little harder, her breath puffing out faster until she came to the fork in the trail. Pushing herself left, she continued down the leafy shelter of the well-worn path. The overcast glow of the daybreak made the forest look eerie but Felicity couldn't force herself to care. No one would be out at five in the morning except for her.

Running had become somewhat of an addiction for her since her mother disappeared. Her legs seemed to know that she would never truly escape what she was running from, but she couldn't stop herself from trying. Those same legs brought her to a staggering halt when she rounded the corner and saw who was sitting on a log by the mouth of the creek.

"Oliver?" the words escaped her mouth uneasily, his presence surprising her into an uncertain concern. Her breath was still coming out in harsh pants, causing the words to sound like she was frightened.

Oliver startled, his eyes betraying his surprise and confusion. He hopped down from the log with a panther-like grace that showed his trim figure. Felicity watched as his hands were forced into an easy, relaxed stance before he addressed her.

"Felicity? I didn't know anyone else knew about this place. I come here to think…"

Felicity nodded, her breath slowly returning to its normal pace, "I do too."

"I didn't think anyone else would be out here. I mean, most people are too freaked out by the trails this early in the morning to run alone." Oliver had a light sheen of sweat gracing his forehead, causing his hair to plaster itself close to his forehead.

"My mom used to bring us here. When I run here, it helps me feel closer to her," Felicity's words were soft, her body becoming intensely aware of Oliver's. She was suddenly aware of how she must look. Her hair was almost certainly a disgusting mess, frizzing due to the humidity of the air around her. Every part of her wanted to inch away, terrified that she smelled or she would startle him away with the revelation.

"Your mom took me here once too. She and my dad used to be really close. When we were little, she would watch us. She used to love coming here."

Felicity gaped at Oliver with an open mouth. She had always thought that Oliver didn't remember their time together when they were young- especially given the way he avoided her like the plague when they were at school.

"Your mom was a wonderful woman, Felicity. I can't even imagine what you've been going through," Oliver's eyes flittered over to her, observing her with a laser-like intensity.

Felicity didn't know how to respond to that. She could _feel_ the sincerity in his voice, leaving her feeling uncomfortably bare. She held his gaze for a moment, her cheeks blooming with color outside of the flush from her run. Nodding, she felt a surge of confidence. She brushed her shoulder against his and grinned.

"I bet that I can beat you back to the other end of the trail."

Oliver's face fought against a smirk before he examined the other end of the trail and said, "What do you win if you beat me?"

Felicity felt stunned. Boys had never been an option for her. Her father had told her that boys were not to come into his house. He would select her husband someday and she would go along with it. She didn't necessarily agree with his vision of the future, but she also didn't fight against it. It had been _his_ way with every element of her life. Even college, her one chance to escape him, had been derailed by her mother's disappearance. In the end, she ended up going exactly where he had wanted her to- the local community college where he could keep an eye on her. The only thing he didn't control with overbearing grasp was her place of employment- her mother's shop. She didn't believe for a moment that Oliver would flirt with her, he had known her for her entire life and had never once displayed even a hint of interest. He was obviously being friendly.

"I guess…I win…a running buddy."

Surprise crossed Oliver's face before he nodded and laughed, "Fine. If you win, I'll come run with you at five in the morning every morning for the rest of the summer. If I win, I get a date."

"A date? Like, with me?" The words escaped Felicity in a bewildered squeak.

"No, a date with your grandmother. Of course a date with you!" Oliver chuckled, his eyes searching hers before brushing a hand through his hair. He must have noticed her dismay because he suddenly stopped and fidgeted with the cord of his earbuds.

"Is that…ok?"

"I've just…never gone on a date. I'm not supposed to. My dad…doesn't like me to go out with boys he hasn't approved. I just..." Felicity couldn't stop stumbling over her words, her eyes sweeping over the forest for an escape route or a hole to swallow her up.

"I'm just gonna…go. I'm sorry I even brought up running together. Bye, Oliver," and with that, Felicity's legs plunged her further along the trail- her ears ignoring Oliver's voice calling her name.

Oliver watched Felicity run away and let lose a heavy sigh. Blown it. He had _blown it._ How he continued to make an ass of himself in front of her so continuously, he would never know. With other girls, his stoicism and occasional flirty nature made him wildly popular. With Felicity, one flirtatious glance in her direction made her dissolve into a jumble of nerves.

Frowning, he realized that he had actually been intrigued by Felicity once again. Here she was, a gorgeous mass of blonde waves and sweat, stuttering her way through a refusal of his date offer. She had avoided his glance but he had known that she was surprised. _That_ he didn't understand. Felicity was beautiful. Her features were classically beautiful- down to her blonde hair that always seemed incredibly soft. Her eyes were a vibrant blue and spoke of a kindness that was laced with steel. Timidly his brain begged the question his heart was too afraid to answer.

 _If it weren't for the ARGUS, would he be attracted to Felicity?_

Groaning, he cracked his knuckles in frustration. He was attracted to her. She had grown up to be beautiful and tough as nails. Her underlying sweetness and bravery was intensely appealing- but it didn't change the fact that he was destined to die protecting her. Again he forced himself to think about her tactfully.

Training her to fight would be an absolute pain but seeing her run sparked a secret thrill in him. She was _fast_. If he could get her to use her speed and her gift? She would be a force to be reckoned with.

Shaking his head, he popped his ear buds in and turned up the loud clanging of Led Zeppelin. If this was going to work, he was going to have to stay in shape himself.


End file.
